some things will. good morning. flu emergency. the worst flu season in decades, getting even worse. deaths on the rise. hospitals so swamped, they're turning patients away. even some schools are closing. now, a health emergency declared in one of the country's largest cities. how long can they last? the race to save a pod of killer whales trapped by ice. the small hole where they can breathe getting smaller by the minute. will help reach them in time? signature move. president obama set to nominate jack lew for treasury secretary today, so is this signature coming to a dollar bill near you

today? january 10th, 2013. good morning, welcome to "today" on this thursday morning. i'm savannah guthrie. >> i'm in more matt this morning. this case is pretty serious. nine states, health officials reporting a real problem in massachusetts. >> that's right. at least 18 flu related deaths so far. 700 confirmed cases in boston alone. hospitals are overrun with people complaining with flu-like symptoms coast-to-coast. we'll get the latest in a report straight ahead. and carl, after confess iing to all of us, only matt received his flu shot. we're going to do something. we're going to get a flu shot.

>> i'm already thinking which arm to roll up. >> roll up that sleeve. i wore short sleeves on purpose. joe biden comes face to face with members of the nra today. at the white house with details. surprising punishments of some distracted drivers involved in deadly crashes are now getting, why are some of these sentences just so light. >> savannah, as you get set to head to the golden globes this sunday, we will announce the oscar nominations. we will go to the flu virus across the country we will go to chief editor dr. nancy snyderman. she's in boston this morning. i know there are serious cases there. >> reporter: good morning. yes. a state of emergency has been declared in boston where they were seeing patients yesterday in the hallway. representative of the strangle hold of influenza is frankly having across communities, i have been now in two major hospital emergency departments in the last three days. i have to tell you, i have never

seen anything like this in the united states. >> i am declaring a public health emergency in the city of boston. >> reporter: with 18 flu related deaths in the state of massachusetts alone, boston's mayor is warning the threat is very serious. so far this season, there have been approximately 700 cases in this city alone, a ten-fold increase from last year's flu season in total. >> how many nurses are over there? >> at boston's hospital, nurse janet gill has seen it all. >> we have seen more patients this year than in my 27 years working here than i've ever seen. >> reporter: boston is not alone. the deadly flu outbreak is being felt across the country. from seattle, washington. >> last year, there were only two deaths for the whole season. we've had three this early in the season already this year. >> reporter: to minnesota where high school athlete carly christensen died. >> we're dealing with the shock

right now. >> reporter: to dallas, texas, the father of 6-year-old tahila johnson suffered from flu symptoms and died. >> she loved school and how we knew she was sick. she didn't want to go to school. >> reporter: hospitals are restrict i restricting visitors or all together for the time being. it caused some schools to postpone temporarily or postpone extra curricular activity. >> last year was such a mild season we had hardly any flu influenza. it's come back fiercely and a rather virulent strain. >> reporter: 62-year-old beverly moss said her symptoms started suddenly. >> like something hit me like a mac truck. i felt sick all over. >> reporter: doctors say it's not too late to get a flu shot and urging the public to get the vaccine as soon as possible. >> it will take 10 days or two weeks for your protection to be as strong as it's going to be.

you would like to be protected. >> reporter: i want to underscorecarunde underscore, carl, especially to you and savannah who haven't gotten your shots, as the people we profiled in this story, it doesn't matter your race or how healthy you are, your age. influenza is out there. call your doctor today, get a shot. if you do think you have influenza, please don't go to your emergency room where they are swamped with patients. call your doctor first. you catch this in the first couple of days, you can get an a antiviral. i think you will see hospitals tell people to get out of the hospital. this is going to be tossed around in the next couple of days. >> we will be getting our shots. thanks. meantime, the milwaukee area has seen a surge in flu-like

symptoms causing people to take emergency measures. kevin is at the st. francis hospital. good morning. >> reporter: yes. it's not only through milwaukee, throughout the midwest, as we heard from dr. nancy, it's across the country. here, they're practicing something known as diversion, where so many hospitals are filled with patients suffering from flu symptoms, they're actually sending ambulances hopscotching from here to there to make sure people get the care. we're fortunate this morning to be joined by one of the doctors here, dr. kathy shallow. i guess the first question i want to ask, is this worse than say the swine flu 2009? >> the swine flu was more hype and not as real as the flu epidemic we're seeing now. >> this is real. >> this is real. we're in the middle of flu season and seeing a lot of flu cases. it feels like more. it is more this year. >> we all have had the flu when we were kids, for example, and mom would put us in bed, lots to

drink, take aspirin three or four days. why should you go to the hospital. you are seeing alet of people perhaps shouldn't go to the hospital. >> there are a lot of unnecessary visits. we want to see you if you have shortness of breath, dehydration, weakness or co-existing illnesses that would make your symptoms worse, if you have emphysema, diabetes, chf, congest stiff heart failure, those would make the flu more potentially dangerous. >> reporter: as we're all hearing and i'm about to find out and i understand you guys are about to find out, the best solution or perhaps the best protection is take off your jacket, roll up your sleeve and visit these young ladies right back here. >> i don't know if america can handle the sight of those guns, but thaw for that, kevin, in milwaukee. we'll have more about how to protect you from the flu. >> i was worried, too. it could get tense today as vice president joe biden sits

down with members of the national rifle association as the obama administration looks for ways to curb violence in the wake of the shooting in connecticut. fight ter from the white house -- peter from the white house, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning. the president's task force has a full day scheduled bringing in hunters and members of gun rights groups and bringing in members of the entertainment industry. the day may be highlighted with the afternoon session that will include the nra. >> reporter: it may be the most anticipated meeting of the new year, the white house trying to keep the gun safety debate in america's sights, today, hosting the nra, one of the most powerful lobbying groups that proposed one of the proposals the white house is considering. not the president and i are determined to take action. we're reaching out to all parties on whatever side of this debate you fall. >> my name is colin godard. i was one of the few survivors in the virginia tech shooting. >> reporter: colin goddard with

three bullets still in his body was featured in the documentary, "living for 32." >> people tell me god was looking out for me, why i'm here. i just got lucky. >> reporter: among the advocates, goddard is sharing his story. >> any in this country gun owner or not doesn't want people like felons or mental ill people to get their hands on a gun so easi easily. we're all on the same page. >> reporter: among the questions the president is considering, background checks. but there is only so much the president can do. >> the president will need help from congress and why any sole action will be limited. >> reporter: jeff duncan sharply challenged the obama administration saying the founding fathers never envisioned executive orders being used to restrict our constitutional rights. we live in a republic, not dictatorship. since last month's newtown massacre, president obama has called for reinstating an

assault weapons ban and limiting high capacity magazines. in new york, democratic governor andrew cuomo was fired up, demanding a strict new crackdown on guns. >> no one hunts with an assault rifle. no one needs 10 bullets to kill a deer and too many innocent people have died already. and the m end the madness now. >> reporter: gun safety isn't the only issue at the president's agenda now. and the vice president will be meeting with members of the nra. at the white house, the president will be introducing his nominee to be the next treasury secretary, jack lew, presently the president's chief of staff. you see him on your screen, formerly the president's budget director replacing out-going secretary timothy geithner and another position has to be filled, the position being vacated by the labor secretary. >> all right. peter alexander at the white house for us. thank you.

>> savannah, thanks. one of the worst shootings last year was the deadly massacre at a colorado movie theater. a judge will decide if the accused gunman will stand trial after a preliminary hearing came to a surprising end. at the courthouse in centennial, colorado. >> reporter: good morning, carl. if there's going to be an insanity case in this case, it has to overcome a mountain of evidence, much revealed for the first time this week. james holmes spent months planning the most devastating attack possible. >> reporter: a lone gunman shooting rampage that killed and injured so many so efficiently was long in planning, the newly revealed evidence shows. an arsenal for mass murder accumulated in an extraordinary two month buying spree, mostly online and ending days before the massacre. holmes himself, telling police after his arrest how he booby-trapped his apartment with a dozen bombs hoping for an explosion to divert police there while he was opening fire at the

theater three miles away. police testified he cased the theater at least twice before that night, taking photos inside and out. he even turned his camera on himself, posing with his weapons or smirking with his tongue out just before leaving that night. in court, prosecutors played 911 calls from the theater. sounds of gunshots and people screaming for help, jarring for the victims' loved ones including shantel. >> it makes you imagine being there more and it's something you don't want to imagine. >> from where i was sitting, i could see his face, see his eyes and see his expression. he just looked very evil and set in the courtroom. pretty much de light. >> reporter: he didn't care who he killed or how many he killed, the prosecutor argued. he wanted to kill them all. overwhelming evidence say legal analysts. >> prosecutors are letting the defense know what they're in for if this case goes to trial. >> reporter: in a surprise move,

defense attorney dan king chose to call no witnesses. this is neither the proper venue nor the time to put on a show or present some truncated defense. that led to a couple of fist pumps outside the courtroom from newly elected state attorney george brockler and said he's not ready yet to announce whether he will seek the death penalty against holmes. >> reporter: there has been ample speculation here a plea agreement, not the death penalty but life in prison without the possibility of parole and guilty on all counts could be the way this case ultimately ends. >> mike, thanks for that. we want to get a check at the top stories. naturally is at the newsdesk. >> good morning. a bombing this morning is televiv. it was a criminally motivated assassination attempt and not a terrorist act. witnesses report a man on a motorcycle tossed a bomb into a car. several people were wounded in the blast.

investigators are searching for what caused a high speed ferry to cash into a dock in lower manhattan wednesday. police say the boat's crew passed alcohol breath tests. it had undergone a recent overhaul and new propulsion system but officials don't know if those were factors in the incident. 70 people were injured in that crash at least two critically. more trouble for boeing and the much touted 787 dreamliner. japan officials cancelled a flight after a faulty computer notification about the brakes and after another 787 caught fire and yet another suffered a fuel leak. the designer's chief engineer says he has extreme confidence in the plane and boeing calls it gr growing pains. aig is backing down amidst public outrage and ire from congress and decided not to sue

the u.s. government over the multi-billion dollar bailout that saved the u.s. giant. they claimed the rescue was unfair to the company shareholders. now, kayla is at the new york stock exchange. good morning. >> good morning. wall street is launching jack lew, president obama's nomination for the next secretary of the treasury and once confirmed he will undertake negotiations with congress over the country's credit card limit. holiday retail sales rose 2.5%, that is less than expected and retailers stocks are reacting. meanwhile, the overall market is unchanged on the week. >> kayla at the new york stock exchange, thanks. doing a fly by of our planet last night but you can see nothing happened. it earned the unfortunate nickname of tooks day asteroid as scientists thought it had a 2% chance of hitting earth in 2099.

that has been ruled out, a good thing, too j because new data shows us the asteroid is much bigger than first estimated. whew, a sigh of relief. back to carl and al. >> it's really close. bruce willis is on that. >> i was going to say, that video looks a little like the game "asteroids" i remember from the '80s. it does. >> look, houston, it does! >> and get a high score. let's get a check of the weather with mr. roker. >> we have a lot going on. a big winter storm warning and winter storm advisories. as this system gets together it will be bringing in some parts blizzard-like conditions in 48 hours. snowfall amounts in mountains of the pacific northwest, wasatch mountain ranges, cascades, talking 1-2 feet of snow and

more heavy weather in the south. we have tornado watches an flood watches for parts of the lower mississippi river valley and gulf coast. look at these firing up until 12 noon today. rainfall amounts anywhere from 4 to 6 inches of rain in the lower gulf. we'll get to your local forecast. first, this message. ♪ ♪ [ female announcer ] take the special k challenge. lose up to six pounds in two weeks. with the cereal you love... and so much more. what will you gain when you lose? skies are clearing just a little bit this morning. upper 40's to the low 50's.

a slight chance for rain that's your latest weather. carl. >> thanks. the oscar nominations are being announced in hollywood this morning. the event adding to excitement with the golden globes just three days away. it's the most exciting time of the year. >> i love this time, guys. we used to have to always wait for after the golden globes for the oscar nods. the academy bumped up this announcement and with five major awards shows, the awards shows are in high gear. >> ged ready for the oscars and

acceptance speeches. >> i will fall off my shoes. >> reporter: a packed awards season is here. tonight jest critics choice and golden globes and actor's guild and british academy and finally, our academy awards. oscar organizers are announcing their nominees today hoping to out-shine the competitors. the fight is fierce among movies. steven spielberg's "lincoln" heads into the season with the most steam and experts picking daniel day-lewis to have a great next few weeks. >> playing abraham lincoln is such an irresistible thing for voters, look at him and pull out their 5 dollar bill and say, he looks just like my money. >> reporter: but "les miserables" could give "lincoln" a run for its money on the strength of hugh jackman. ♪ . >> reporter: and anne hathaway. ♪ >> reporter: also getting a

close look, jennifer lawrence as the spicy dancer in "silver linings playbook". >> she came in and knocked people out with this combination of comedy and drama. just dazzling performance. >> reporter: other movies have equal parts, buzz and controversy. quentin tarantino's "django unchained" took heat for portrayal of african-americans and "zero dark 30" drew fire for depictions of torture. >> i'm not your friend, not going to help you. i'm going to break you. any questions? sn>> the only thing between you and a gun to your head. >> reporter: one more mention, ben affleck nominated for "argo," not acting but directing. >> the big storyline, it's a really good year for movies. movies are back and smart and that are well made are also doing well at the box office. >> i think it's safe to say the competition is really steep this year. whoever comes out on top at this sunday's golden globes will gain a whole lot of momentum heading

into the oscars in about six weeks. >> is there really a corollary between who wins at the golden globes likely to win the oscars? >> yes. and if they win an s.a.g. award. there's definitely a connection. >> jason, thanks. >> >> we'll have more on the os score nominations later on. >> the queen has more on what the duke and duchess will call

jay coming up the race against time to save a pod of orcas trapped in ice. >> after your local news. lucky charms?!

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childhood, college readiness policies, and work force policies. school officials say they are committed to but maintaining that top spot in a nation. lots of problems this morning. >> we just got word of a problem, as expected, on the outer loop of perring parkway. offender pender off to the right shoulder. it did not take long for that back to develop. here is what it looks like a perring parkway. prior to that, approaching belair road to perring parkway, you will be sitting in jammed conditions. another one on southbound ritchie highway. if you are on 99, shot down from one stock to bethany lane -- from one stock to bethany lane. so far so good southbound at mount carmel.

>> a little chilly to start off the day. 46 downtown, 30 said the airport. 34 in parkton. the ots in chestertown and even easton. -- 30's in chestertown and even easton. by lunchtime, 463 afternoon high at 3:00 p.m., 51 degrees. 50 degrees for the high tomorrow. 30% chance for showers. droid dna augmentation initiated. vision expanding to a 5-inch 1080p hd display and camera. touch acquiring nfc. hearing evolving with beats audio.

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hello. oh my god! >> i love her. how would you react if this had happened to you? a driverless car, as it appeared, pulling up to a fast food drive through. we'll have more of those classic reactions and how the prankster behind it pulled it off. wait. he actually throws it in there. >> i tell you what. a lot of practical jokers are getting a lot of ideas. >> i know. i know. back out on our plaza this morning. it's a beautiful day on

rockefeller plaza. boy, do we have a great happy boisterous crowd ready to say hello. good morning, everyone. i'm savannah guthrie alongside carl. good to see you this morning. >> the queen issuing a decree for the future just in case the duke and duchess of cambridge has a baby girl. >> the power of numbers when it comes to weight loss. we'll introduce you to 12 strangers who decided to change their lives together. they each lost at least 100 pounds. we were with them when they all met for the first time. cool story. monopoly, the granddaddy of all board games is getting a new game piece. that means one of the classics has to go. >> not the thimble. >> we will see which one people want to see go and which new ones to be added. >> wee might get in a fight there. now, to a race against time to save a pod of killer whales.

here with this story, good morning to you. >> good morning. the drama is unfolding in a remote corner of quebec, 1500 miles from montreal. officials say the whales were likely caught off guard then when temperatures dropped and suddenly found themselves stuck. >> reporter: the video is dramatic and disturbing, and estimated dozen whales trapped for days under thick arctic ice, taking turns breathing through a tiny hole, jumping for air. the opening is in the middle of a massive ice field and as temperatures drop, it's shrinking fast prompting fears this pod of mammals may soon suffocate. >> the gfr overnor is asking fo help, asking for ice breaking help for the whales. >> we are concerned and there is no ice breaker here presently. they are down south. >> reporter: canadian officials say ice breakers are too far

away. it's a real life drama, much like the 2012 film called "big miracle" to save whales trapped in alaska in 1988. now, the video has gone viral. >> the video is very dramatic. you see a very small body of water with very agitated whale. >> many fear this may not have a hollywood ending. >> the one problem is food, how long can they go for and number two, how much smaller will that breathing hole get and, number three, how long can they last. >> the government sent a crew of scientists to see what can be done. ultimately warmer weather can mean the difference between tragedy and happy ending and temperatures are expected to be well below zero the next week. >> i appreciate it. a check of the weather from al. >> today's weather brought to you by international delight,

gourmet coffee creamer. >> i would have to say we have the largest single entity crowd you have ever seen. you see all the red, a,000 sapp thousand members of the delta sigma sorority. their centennial celebration. they had a fantastic float in the rose parade. you are -- >> cynthia butler macintosh, national president. >> how many of you are here? >> thousands all of the city of new york today celebrating our 1 100th anniversary. >> wow! >> wow! >> i notice there are so many beautiful women here. who is the most senior member? >> the most senior member, our past national president is over there. >> okay. i don't know if they want to be known as the most senior member. thank you very much. now, you're getting them mad at me.

thanks. congratulations on your centennial. >> thank you. >> let's check your weather and see what's going on. we have a were indy day out wes. gale advisories, gale warnings, high wind watches all the way into kansas, a big system, as we also show you what's going on as far as temperatures are concerned, 70s and 80s into the south in texas. flori florida, and then teens and 20s in the rockies where we have blizzard-like conditions. man, this is a big >> a few clouds to start the day. clearing through the mid morning. upper 40's to the low 50's. a sl

carl, ricky gervais twe'll r more with the ladidies a little later. when it comes to distracted drivers who cause deadly crashes, the punishment doesn't fit the crime. >> a shocking statistic for you. a recent study. 97% of students -- 97% of students admitted to texting and dri driving even though they know it's wrong. and some say that won't change until texting and driving gets the punishment it deserves. >> reporter: dave was on his walk two years ago when a texting driver plowed into him. his grieving family told the judge they wanted the young driver to pay. >> whitney, there has not been a

day go by i haven't thought about this very moment. this tragedy was not an accident. this was the heartbreaking outcome to yourself fishness and reckless behavior. >> reporter: the sentence for whitney yeager, 45 days in jail for misdemeanor vehicle lar homicide. >> i felt sick to my stomach. >> you lost your husband and she got 45 days in jail. >> i felt betrayed by the system that was put in place to help the victims. >> reporter: whitney yeager declined our request for an interview. in a letter to nbc news, she's been ordered to speak to young people about the dangers and hopes she can prevent other similar accidents. >> people are getting a slap on the wrist for this. >> reporter: jennifer smith, whose mother was killed by a distracted driver has helped outlaw texts in many states. >> the first step is get the act illegal and then they have to go back to get the punishment to then fit the crime. >> reporter: yet across the

country, drivers, many of them young people, are getting surprisingly light sentences on misdemeanor charges. in california, caitlin dunn na way killed a 2-year-old toddler crossing the street with her mother. she got five days in jail and 115 days in home confinement. in connecticut, brianna mccu win was surfing the web when she killed a 44-year-old jogger. she was sentenced to probation and no jail time. >> to me, it's a no-brainer there should be a severe consequence for your action. >> on the other hand, i'm a parent. if it were my kid driving the car, who went to send a text and accidentally hit someone, i wouldn't want the book thrown at my kid. >> which is true. i have a daughter myself. i think about it all the time. what if she would have done this to someone. what if she does do it. it's a hard thing to stop. we just have to get tough on it and teach our kids they can't do this because we won't be able to

save them. >> right now, 39 states have laws that do something that outlaw texting and driving for all age drivers and five to only teen drivers. the thing is the severity of those laws and punishments that follow vary so widely from state to state and sometimes city to city. >> here's my question, texting is a phenomenon, we all do it. the whole world has gone mobile. why can't the laws keep up with changing society? >> the experts say we all, a lot of people do it so we sympathize with the texter and electors aren't passing stricter punishments because we sympathize. it's not being treated the way drunk driving is treated now. think about 40 years ago with drunk driving, what experts say we are with texting right now. >> we'll see what happens. >> you can see more of kate's story on ""rock center" with brian williams. >> what will the duke and duchess call their next child?

the queen's decree, right after this. careful, pringles are bursting with flavor.

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back now at 7:43 with the royal decree. queen elizabeth has reversed nearly a century of tradition just in case the duke and duchess of cambridge give her a great granddaughter. good to see you. good morning. >> good morning. the royals are getting ready for them. that means more than preparing the nursery and buying nappies or diapers as they're called here and they need to make sure the right royal protocols are in place. >> reporter: kate celebrating a low-key birthday with her family wednesday night and special present from the queen.

a royal seal of approval for girl power. for the girls how powerful you are stems from what you're called. when kate married william, she became a duchess, the third most senior woman in the household. now, the queen has decreed the couple's firstborn daughter, if they have a girl, would be a princess. it's a lofty royal rank not automatically given. >> i think the queen wanted to make sure her great granddaughter, if she is born first to william and kate, had the correct title would be fit someone who would also become queen ready. >> reporter: the laws have changed so if they have a daughter, she could would be qu. in the past, only a boy would get the title. some say it only make s ts the monarchy more modern and still about old-fashioned protocol, who gets introduced first in a reception line and who sits next to who at the royal dinner.

without the change, william and kate's daughters would be forced to curtsy to prince fergie's daughters. there are municipal names duke of cambridge. baron ferges and baron of the royal knights, the list goes on and on. soon he'll have another title, father and and princess. >> it is a challenge to be in the 20th century monarchy with all the rules going back hundreds of years. >> all those names. thanks for being here. coming up, a makeover from monopoly. which iconic game piece do you want to save. and a ghost car giving workers a big surprise. >> throwing it in there. >> i'm a ghost.

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if you spend hours on end playing monopoly as a kid, a big change is in store for our beloved board games. >> hasboro is making a change to one of the classics. we've been having a discussion about which is our favorites. >> you like the thimble. >> who doesn't love the thimble? >> really? >> savannah is like, me?

>> no. my sister and i always fought over the thimble. >> i always went for the scottie dog. we love the dog. >> the race car. if they killed the race car, what killed would want to play again. that's true. >> you know another one i liked, this is weird. >> the iron. >> interesting you say that. >> all home making things and we all know i can't home make. >> and why they chose these various tokens, as they call them. interest interesting the poll results, the ones they want to see eliminated, the iron and wheelbarrow. >> the wheelbarrow is so cute. >> we have a christmas story of monopoly including the major award token. >> do you have the new options? >> the new options are the robot, ring, cat, helicopter or guitar. these are the ones you can choose from. by the way, hasboro is saying, go to their facebook page and this is where you vote.

>> i vote ring. >> helicopter. >> where's the smartphone? >> i was like, computer? >> who's going to pick a ring? >> guy? >> ladies. >> you want to put a ring on him if you like him? >> the announcement will be february 5th. we will announce the were in and loser live on february 5th. >> speaking of money, later today, the president is going to nominate jacob lieu as president of the secretary, a pick that is causing a stir because of his signature. >> an interesting way to put it. i say it's a glorified doodle. here is his actual signature. this would potentially be on every single piece of currency. >> i like it. >> looks like my husband's signature. why even bother. >> the treasury secretary, tim geithner cleaned up his signature. there is now a petition to keep

ja jack's doodle. >> kind of like when your little kid draws hair on you. >> i can do better than that with this cast on. >> we're doing autographs of the these. >> mine impossible. you can't even -- >> that's pretty good. >> roker's is beautiful. >> come on! >> makes you want to be a weather person. >> here's me. >> nat callie, looks like you did that with a cast. >> i did. >> what does that say? >> corbin bernsen. >> the simple like french. [ elizabeth ] i like to drink orange juice or have lemon in my water...

eat tomato sauce on my spaghetti. the acidic levels in some foods can cause acid erosion. the enamel starts to wear down. and you can't grow your enamel back. i was quite surprised, as only few as four exposures a day what that can do to you. it's quite a lesson learned. my dentist recommended that i use pronamel. because it helps to strengthen the enamel. he recommended that i use it every time i brush. you feel like there is something that you're doing to help safeguard against the acid erosion. and i believe it's doing a good job. [ female announcer ] hey ladies, you love it, you gotta have it. cinnamon toast crunch. 'cause that cinnamon and sugar is so irresistible. [ slurps ] [ chuckles ] everybody craves those crazy squares.

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>> this is wbal-tv 11 news in baltimore. >> good morning. i am in december. -- m mindy basara. here is sarah caldwell. >> inner loopf the keybridge, right lane block. all court and falls road in the westbound direction, a water main break causing some delays. can miles per hour on the northeast outer loop. that delay stretches back from 95 to the towson region due to an earlier accident. heading south on 83, average speed at 35 miles per hour.

road 99, with stock and bethany lane, watch for closures that remain in effect. eastbound delays all the way towards the beltway. southbound route 2, ritchie highway, accident taking up the right lane. 34 miles per hour from the severna park region. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. >> you have your hands full. fortunately, it is quiet in the weather department. 45 downtown, 30 to the north in parkton. moving up to 46 by lunchtime. a mixture of clouds and sunshine early today. high temperature of 51. the winds are out of the northwest. like throughout the day. increasing clouds as the news from system r purchase from the southwest. the new -- the storm system of purchase from the southwest.

we will see a chance for showers tomorrow as the storm system approaches. partly sunny on saturday. 62 by sunday. well abovehanake.

8:00 now on this thursday morning. the 10th of january, 2013. what a crowd on the plaza. they're exciting and loud. we're just three days away from the golden globes. we're taking our show on the roa road. >> we're taking you all with us. >> promises promises. >> we're all getting on the bus i came in. we're driving to l.a.! >> natalie and al, we're all going to l.a. for the golden

globes. i leaving today. we will be there this weekend. and coming up monday, we will be live in las vegas and have a complete wrap-up of the big night including the winner and fashion and al roker is going to party all night. >> oh, yeah! >> and bring us the best party. >> not different from any other day. >> speaking of award shows in the next half hour, we will break down oscar nominations and weight loss stories. this morning, we'll meet 12 strangers who dropped at least 100 pounds each. they encouraged each other online and recently came together to win a marathon. what a story. a little bit later on, our resident first daughter, jenna bush hager, catches up with one of the stars of nbc's new comedy set at the white house, "1600 penn." we're wondering if she gave him any pointers about life in the big house. i should say white house.

it is a big white house. >> now to natalie with a check of today's top stories. >> good morning everyone. emergency rooms across the country are being overwhelmed by flu patients, mounting evidence the u.s. is having one of the worst flu epidemics in decades and massachusetts had at least 18 deaths and in boston a ten-fold increase from last year and the mayor declared a public health emergency. vice president joe biden is meeting today with members of gun rights groups including the national rifle association. biden has until the end of the month to come up with new profession proposals for preventing gun violence, spurred by the sandy hook tragedy. he heard from members of the nra and family members of the tragedy. jack lew has been nominated to replace timothy geithner as

treasury secretary. the move is rankling some republicans who said lieu has been too compromising in past budget compromises and announcing her plans to retire, the first latina to run a major u.s. federal agency. testifying wednesday that movie theater suspect james holmes took pictures of the theater' hallways and doors two weeks before the attacks. prosecutors showed pre-attack photos of holmes with his hair died red sticking out his tongue. defense attorneys did not present any evidence or witnesses at the preliminary hearing. a judge is expected to rule by tomorrow on whether there's enough evidence to proceed to trial. pap tests may some day be used to protectcancers of ovaries and uterus. they were able to find evidence of two additional cancers in pap smears however it is years away from being used in medical

practice. look at what's trending today. a look at what has you talking online. talking about wednesday's hall of fame shutout, the "new york times" sports section summed it up with this full page statement, for only the second time in four decades, baseball writers failed to elect any to the hall including barry bonds, roger clemens and sosa. some feel those from the era of high performing drugs will be held to higher standards even if they didn't use them. police have released 911 calls from frightened residents of norfolk, virginia. >> i'm driving down granby street, and there is a lion that ran across the street. a baby lion. 92 the lion is charles the monarch, a lovable labradoodle groomed to look like a jungle beast. he even has his own facebook page that chronicles his life as a party animal. this video prank is racking up

millions of views. and hiding under a car seat costume and visits the drive through window, seemingly in visible. >> really? >> them low! [ laughter ] >> where did he go? >> just throw it in here. i'm a ghost. >> throw it in there! >> yeah. i'm a ghost. thank you. >> while most of the workers were a bit freaked-out, one urged a co-worker to snap a picture and quote instagram t t that. it is 8:05. back over to savannah and carl. it's a good one. i have to say, we see a lot of videos. i love that one. the reactions are priceless. mr. roker for a check on the weather. >> all righty. as we have so many members of

delta sigma ssada. thousands of them here. pick city of the day. stub bi stubinville, ohio. temperature of 44 degrees. as we show you what else is going on right now, we're looking at heavy rain down through the gulf. we had a tornado watch in effect for the lower mississippi river eventu eventu valley and more rain making its way to the northwest and mountain snow in rains and rockies and blizzard conditions later on. and storms in the lower gulf and windy conditions in the southern california coast and into the southwest. skies are clearing just a little bit this morning. upper 40's to the low 50's.

a slight chance for rain >> and that's your latest weather. they love me! they love me, carl! >> al, thanks. up next, this morning's oscar nominations and then a little bit later, how to keep your kid safe in what's turning out to be one of the worst flu outbreaks in years. yes, we will get our flu shots right after this. ♪ [ male announcer ] let's take every drop of courage, every ounce of inspiration, every bit of determination, and go where we've never gone before.

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with hand-layered pasta, tomatoes, and real mozzarella cheese. but what makes us even prouder... is what our real dinners can do for your family. stouffer's. let's fix dinner. this is amazing, how did you find us? i thought we might be related, so i had a fiber analysis done and sure enough, we're family. but you're not even shredded. you're...crunchy?! that happens sometimes. and you help keep people full with whole grain fiber? just like you guys. [ female announcer ] they're different, but the same. new frosted mini-wheats crunch. a tasty square packed with a crunch... [ crunch! ] ...of whole grain fiber that helps keep you full. it's a big breakfast... [ crunch! ] ...in new a little biscuit. smile! ohhh bring it in! ooohhhooh! back now at 8:10 with more on the flu outbreak that's only getting worse. children are among those at greatest risk.

how can you keep your children healthy and safe? we're joined by dr. nancy schneidermsnid snide -- dr. nancy snyderman in boston. >> we want to know how alarmed parents should be about this flu virus. >> reporter: we've been focusing so much on adults, the concern is children as well. we should look at kids, not only who have underlying health problems but those vibrant and healthy you think might not be at risk at all. a lot of those children are targeted. and early -- young babies. the recommendation for the virus to get the vaccine is six months and over. i want to underscore we talked so much about getting the

vaccine. for women who are pregnant or think they want to get pregnant, if you get the vaccine, you transfer that immunity to your unborn baby, to ensure your child is born healthy. that's the big message, get your kids their shot or nasal spray. >> quickly, should you go to urgent care or pediatrician's office if you think your child has the flu symptoms? >> reporter: if your child has flu symptoms, go to your phone first and call your primary care doctor. the ers are overrun with patients who heard about the flu and frankly clogging up the arteries for the hospitals. leave the emergency rooms for real emergencies. wash your hands, get your shots and call your doctor if you have severe problems. only if you have severe hydration or fever or cough that won't go away that scares you, should you go to the emergency room department. a lot of people are being admitted but those are the very

ill. >> thank you. maybe it is time or pastime to get our flu shot. welcome in nurse teresa with nbc health services. good morning, teresa. >> good morning. >> let's get it done. >> savannah first. >> you're so kind. we decided to do my right side because i'm a lefty. is that a good idea? >> it is a good idea because in case you get soreness at the site of the injection, it's not your dominant hand. will it hurt? >> no. >> what should we talk about? anyway. ow! just kidding. it hurt but i'm very strong. am i maybe one of the best patients you ever had? >> you are. >> ow! >> geez. >> there you go. ah. thank you, teresa. who's next? >> okay. i guess i'm here. it might as well be me. >> ladies first. >> i might as well have one good arm so i'm going to go right. >> poor nat. >> just a little today.

>> it wasn't so bad. >> i will distract you. you are good. >> look at the different reaction between savannah and naturally. >> i'm a drama queen. >> i can handle pain. >> we are going to be blinded by the gun show about to take place. >> i've heard of beefcake, but this is ridiculous. by the way, if the stage crew tells you to hurry up, take your tim time. >> i'm very happy you are all getting your shots though. >> we are. >> we have been getting close to 2,000 flu shots. >> have you seen any signs of a shortage? >> i heard some doctors' offices are running short of the flu. we have plenty upstairs in our medical department. >> how many times has matt lauer been up thereor his flu shot? >> he got his early. >> i know. he's always first in line, we know. >> don't you get tired of seeing him? isn't he there like everyday?

>> this is going to turn into a tank top. >> like vinnie barbarino. >> is that a tattoo, carl? >> it says mother. >> no, you're not. you don't get off that easy, al. >> 1, 2, 3, al. we've got you. >> monday we talked about three of the four of us haven't had our flu shot. we feel so guilty and people were on facebook saying, come on. >> we wanted to make sure we did this and you're right. we should. >> we've done it and hope everybody does it soon. nurse teresa, thanks so much. >> do our kojak impersonation. who loves you baby! >> coming up oscar nominations. first, these messages. careful, pringles are bursting with flavor.

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back at 8:18. this morning on new you, new year, 12 strangers who lost 100 pounds and ended up running marathon together. in followed with their inspiring weight loss story. good morning. >> reporter: this really is an incredible journey of 12 people who didn't know each other. they were strangers, as you said, now 12 good friends. they bonded as they shed the pounds and as they crossed the finish line together. >> i was 253 pounds at my haven't. >> at my haven't, at my heaviest, i weighed 349 pounds. >> at my heaviest, i weighed 269 pounds. >> at my heaviest, i was 275 pounds. >> reporter: katie, carla, ada and rick didn't know each other but they did have one thing in common, they were overweight. >> when i was a kid, i was

getting teased at school. my make name was shamu in the fourth grade. it really ballooned after i had both of my kids. my son wanted to learn how to ride a two wheel bicycle. i started running alongside his bike. i couldn't keep up. i was so out of breath. i remember feeling like the worst mom in the world. i knew i was overweight my entire life. i think right after my son was born, that's when it really became a possibroblem for me. >> my final straw was seeing pictures and seeing the actual size of me. i think our perception in our head is a little different than the size we truly are. >> the worst i remember i was always overweight. you see, most asians are very petite. i pretty much stuck out like a sore thumb. i was bullied and made fun of throughout my life pretty much. i was always looking for the quick fix. after years of doing that, you

realize it doesn't work. i've been going up and down for years. >> i was always the fat kid, the classic kid picked last in gym class. it's all i've known my whole life, was being the fat kid. i take after my father very much. he's also a heavier person, diabetic, back trouble. it just hit me one day as i was approaching 40, this is a preview of coming attractions. this is going to be me if i don't do something. >> after hitting rock bottom, they all hit the pavement and started walking and then running. along the way, each lost more than 100 pounds. >> my first goal was to run around my block without having to stop. it took me about six weeks to get to that point. i started seeing progress and started setting bigger and bigger goals. >> i started training for a half marathon. over the process of that training in the next year, i lost 100 pounds. >> i probably wrap, i don't know, like 100 feet. it felt like my heart was

beating out of my chest. it was pathetic. >> i just started running a little bit at a time and i got better and better at it. i lost 99 pounds. >> running has changed my life completely. i started at 253. my goal is 133. that's what i'm at right now. i'm happy at 133. >> through her blog, katie brought together eight other runners with similar stories, together, they formed a team. and stayed in touch online. last week, the 12 strangers met for the first time for the wagner relay marathon in florida. >> 3, 2, 1! >> reporter: 200 miles from miami to key west over the course of two days. at the finish line, an exhausting yet emotional accomplishment. >> the one thing they said they

have learned is there is no finish line in this race to better health. it's a lot like running, one step followed by the other. it's this journey that never ends. >> i think everyone needs to realize it's not going to be easy. nothing about losing 120 pounds was easy. i had to make a lot of sacrifices, but i made everything work into my life. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: you know, there are people watching, saying, that's you. you're special. i couldn't do that. >> we're not special. we're everyday couch potatoes who one day decided i'm not going to do this anymore and figured out a way to make it work. >> it sounds simple. >> it's not. it's a lot of hard work. but you start with something small. get off your couch, walk around the block today. that's it. do that today. tomorrow, walk around the next block. small successes and eventually, you're here.

>> reporter: that incredible journey will be part of a documentary called "from fat to finish" which will be released later this summer. carl. >> what a story. kerry sanders in fort lauderdale. thanks so much. >> we want to say hello to jenna one of the stars of "1600 penn." good morning. you get to play the first lady. is that what attracted you to the part? >> playing the first lady was intimidating at first. it wasn't one i grasped at first but trying to find that character. our executive producer director is jason weiner who directed the pilot of "modern family" in 18 episodes. and john levet, obama's speechwriter for four years and before that, hillary clinton and there's so much talent. there was a lot right about this show that drew me in. >> did you model any existing

former or first lady? >> it's really a combination. i wanted to make sure. certainly inspired by michelle obama, in that she's modern and has pride in her health and persona. is energetic and present and participatory, but the feistiness of eleanor roosevelt. >> we understand savannah guthrie has a little cameo. >> she does. she kind of tortures my character a bit. >> hard hitting. exactly. >> my character put herself through law school and ran her husband's campaign and got him into the presidency. what they took from my life, i am a classically trained dancer and they brought that to my character. she's like really -- >> let's put it this way. i'm the butt of the joke on that one. >> again? >> exactly. >> jenna elfman, it's a great series, "1600 penn." catch it at 9:30, 8:30 central.

thank you. >> this is wbal-tv 11 news in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. let's check on your morning commute with sarah caldwell. >> good morning, everyone. latest accident is southbound ritchie highway and on old road. there is a bus involved in this accident. injuries reported. avoid southbound ritchie highway. still heavy from server and a park all the way towards 50. ritchie highway, not seeing delays here. ritchie highway in the southbound direction, watch for delays. holding onto delays on the north and west side. as we zoom in, a closer look.

delays in both directions, even on the inner loop from perring parkway towards i-95. route 99, all lanes are closed due to an overnight accident that is still being worked on. 83 is looking better after an overnight tractor-trailer accident northbound belfast. john collins joins us with a look at the forecast. >> just enough cloudiness to make for a gorgeous sunrises. a thin clouds from the storm system edging in from the west. eventually will have to deal with the rainy part of that. partly cloudy skies. 39 at the airport. humidity is 57%. white west winds at 30 to 33. 49 to 53 for the highs. we will see an increase in clouds, with late northwest wind

at five to 10 miles per hour. saturday the dry trade rain chances extended to next week. >> we are back with another update at 8:56.

8:30 on this thursday morning, the 10th of january, 2013. a beautiful day in the northeast. the sun is shining. we say hello to everyone on our plaza. good morning. i've savannah guthrie and carl is in for matt and natalie and al roker. >> they are getting up early on the west coast.

in a moment we'll head to beverly hills for complete coverage of this morning's academy award nominations. very exciting. >> it is. savannah is leaving shortly for los angeles and you will get a golden globes preview for us. >> it will be very exciting as you wait to find out who wins the golden globes, we have our pre-carpet show and then our viewers will be choosing what your big adventure is going to be. choices are "pretty woman," sideways inspired trip to wine country and greased lightning in the movie >> a few clouds to start the day. clearing through the mid morning. upper 40's to the low 50's. a sl

all righty. we're here with the delta sigma group. where are you guys from? all 50 states represented? >> yes. >> just about? fantastic. nice to see you ladies. let's go back inside to carl. >> al, thanks. we just talked to jenna elfman about the new comedy "1600 penn" that takes a humorous look inside the white house something contributing correspondent jenna bush hager knows a little something about. good morning. >> good morning. >> they're a normal family living in a fishbowl known as the white house. i sat down with comedian josh, who's cast in the role of the

first son. >> so much history here, right? roosevelt, superman. >> reporter: this is "1600 penn," a new comedy imagining life at perhaps the most famous address in the world and an address my family called home. >> it's an ordinary family like any other family in the most extraordinary circumstances. >> reporter: josh gadd plays skip, the lovable but bumbling son of the president. here we are in the oval office. >> let's see. >> give me russia. it doesn't work. that's the main difference between this and the white house. >> reporter: well, this is obviously not the white house. we're just down the street, though, at the madame tussauds moveme museum in washington. >> i heard you researched this role extensively. >> i did. i researched a lot of the kids including you and your sister. >> i don't know. should i find that insulting?

you're sort of the black sheep of the family. >> no. you're not the -- sally, please apologize to jenna for me. no. absolutely not. >> what is your secret service code name? >> my secret service code name is "meatball." >> meatball. that's because of. >> i think it's self-explanatory. what's your secret service code name? >> twinkle. >> that's because? >> they said i had a little twinkle in my eye. >> meatball and twinkle could have been something, i'm telling you. >> reporter: the 31-year-old got his big break starring in the movie "mormon" that pokes fun at religion and just about everything else, too. >> did you expect it to catapult your career the way it did? >> no. i thought it would ruin my career. >> reporter: it certainly didn't. his career is flourishing. he's done movies, tv and once worked on ""the daily show." >> josh gadd.

thank you very much. >> reporter: he grew up in florida and learned at an early age to use humor as protective armor. i was the product of a divorced household. it was kind of a painful period when i was about 6 and the one weapon that i always had was making my family laugh. >> reporter: laughing is what "1600 penn" is all about. that, and family dynamics, like trying to get a hug from the president when he happens to be your dad. in this case, i thought i could help. >> i know somebody that will hug you. do you want to try it? ♪ >> reporter: a nice hug, right? >> and carl and the cast was thrilled to have a screening of the series at the white house and president obama got to give

his two cents. >> i don't know who is more charming him or you. twinkle. be calling you that from now on. >> don't get it confused with tingle. >> thanks. you can catch "1600 penn" tonight on nbc. up next, the oscar nominations. first, this is "today" on nbc.

i can hardly wait. a lot of anticipation in hollywood this morning. the george bush the golden globes awards and in a moment, the oscar nominations. >> seth mcfarland doing the honors along with emma stone. we will take you to the theater in beverly hills for the nomination nominations. >> hi there. [ applause ] >> good morning. i am seth mcfarland, the host of the oscars. if you don't know who i am, just

pretend i'm donny osmond. we'll be find and get through this. it's a great honor to be here and announce the nominees. i'm not sure why we don't wait until noon to do this since the only people up right now are either flying or having surgery. but i want to congratulate today's nominees and also to congratulate those who weren't nominated. you can stop doing interviews where you can pretend you had such a great time making the movie. here to help me out since there's nothing creepier than a guy standing by himself in hollywood at 5:00 in the morning is the lovely and talented, miss emma stone. [ applause ] >> thank you, seth. >> emma stone is the star of the new film "gangster squad." i'm not sure of the star, sounds like an ensemble piece to me, right? >> keep reading. >> the star of the new film

"ga "gangster squad." some say she's better than meryl streep. who says that? >> i don't know. nobody, a lot of people. let's just read the nominees. >> okay. >> okay. >> the nominees will be read in no particular order. >> for best performance by an actor in a supporting role, the nominees are, christoph waltz in "django unchained." he's won before. phillip s philip seymour man in "the master." he has won before. robert de niro in "silver linings playbook." he's won before. alan arkin in "argo." he has won before. and tommie lee jones in "lincoln." he's won before. >> breath of fresh air in that categor category. >> for best original song, the nominees are, before my time from chasing ice, music and lyric by jay ralph. pi's lug la by, mychael danna

and "les miserables," music by claude-michel schonberg. everybody needs a best friend from "ted," music by walter murphy. lyric by seth mcfarland. and "skyfall," from "skyfall." music and lyric by adele adkins and paul epworth. >> that's kind of cool. i got nominated. how do you like that? i get to go to the oscars. >> yes. the mtv awards once gave michael jackson a lifetime achievement award just so he'd show up. i'm not saying that's what's happening today but i kind of am. >> all right. the 2012 nominees for best performance by an actress in a supporting role are sally fields in "lincoln." ann hathaway in "les miserabl " miserables." jackie weaver in "silver linings playbook" helen hunt in "the

sessions" and amy adams in "the master." congratulations to you five ladies no longer have to pretend to be attracted to harvey weinstein. [ laughter ] >> for best animated feature film, the nominees are, "frankenweenie," tim burton. the pirates, band of misfits, peter lord. wreck et ralph, rich moore. paranormal, chris butler and samfeld and "brave." >> for best foreign language film, the nominees are from austria, "amour." >> from chili,. >> from denmark, "a royal affair." >> from norway, "kon-tiki." >> i read "amour" was

co-produced in austria and germany, right? the last time austria and germany got together and co-produced something, it was hitler. this is much better. >> much better. >> highly recommend it. >> so much better. yeah. >> for adapted screen play, we have lucy alibar and benh zeitlin for "beasts of the southern wild." kris terrio for "argo." tony kushner for "lincoln." david o. russell for "silver linings playbook" and david magee for "life of pi." >> these are adapted screen plays, keep in mind. that means the writers basically copied stuff from microsoft word andpasted it into final draft. >> for best original screen play, the nominees are john gatins for "flight." mark boal for "zero dark 30." quentin tarantino for "django unchained." michael haneke for "amour" and

wes anderson and roman coppola foreman rice kingdom. >> for best achievement in directing, the nominees are david o. russell for "silver linings playbook." ang lee for "life of pi." steven spielberg for "lincoln." michael haneke for "amour" and benh zeitlin for beasts of the southern wild. these are five people who are the very best at sitting in a chair watching other people make a movie. >> the nominees for best performance by an actor in a leading role are daniel day-lewis in "lincoln." denzel washington in "flight." hugh jackman in "les miserables." bradley cooper in "silver linings playbook". juaquin phoenix in "the master." a little fun fact for you. denzel's character was actually as strong as half of the people

who are up at this hour. >> guilty. >> for best performance by an actress in a leading role, the nominees are naomi watts in "the impossible". jessica chastain in "zero dark 30". jennifer lawrence in "silver linings playbook". emmanuelle riva in "amour." in the bea"beasts of the southe wild." >> at 85, emmanuelle riva is the oldest best actress nominee in oscar history. wallace this is youngest ever, s she's 9. finally, we are pleased to announce the film selected as the best picture nominees for 2012 are "beasts of the southern wild wild". >> "silver linings playbook." donna, bruce cohen and jordan

producers. >> "zero dark 30" producers. >> lynn con, steven spielberg and katherine kennedy producers. >> "les miserables" producers. >> life of pi, producers. >> "amour," nominees to be determined. >> "django unchained," stacy, reginald and pilar producers. >> and "argo," grant, ben af fleck and george clooney producers. >> "argo" has been nominated. somebody tell cranston, he can unclench his teeth now. brian, i love you. please join us at the oscars, sunday february 24th to find out who will take home the oscars. >> congratulations to all the nominees. all right. the nominations and "django unchained"'s chief correspondent and director for the hollywood

reporter. good morning to both of you. "lincoln," no surprise. 12 nominations there. you were surprised, two movies we're hearing about, "amour" in two major categories nominated, as well as beast"beasts of the southern wild". >> those are two movies that made great gains today. "beasts of the southern wild," and wallace the youngest best actress. she was 6 when she made that movie, 9 now and "amour" about a french elderly couple, the wife has a stroke and descendses into dementia and michael heneke, the director. >> and some not nominated for director will lead to speculation. >> huge snub, huge snub this morning, some people they thought they were a given. katherine bigelow, she won the oscar for "hurt locker" a few years ago. no ben affleck. this is the movie everyone's talking about, got a best picture nomination and a few others. that is really the shocker of

the morning. also, no quentin tarantino? >> yes. >> "django unchained," quentin is the director's director in hollywood and that is stunning to me. the only thing i can think, obviously, there's been a lot of controversy around the movie. maybe there's older members of the academy who said, we appreciate the movie but it's not his turn. >> "django unchained" did rack up nominations, picture and original screen play, which is huge in itself as well. let's go through actors and actresses, supporting actresses. i don't think there was any surprise in that category at all. i think everybody seems this think ann hathaway has the lock with "les miserables." >> i think ann will win and one prediction was jacki weaver. she didn't get nominated leading up to it, plays the mom. she is an australian actress that plays the mom and i was happy to see her get in. it will be tough for her to beat ann hathaway. that performance is off the

charts. >> supporting actor. a lot of repeat winners. de niro, tommie lee jones and alan arkin. people have a soft spot for. >> i think alan arkin will be the person who has the oscar win the longest to go. i think it was 40 years ago, i believe. >> he just won for "little miss sunshine." >> you're right. it's five heavy hitters. who knows what will happen. this is the category of all the acting races the most wide open. couldn't you see any of these guys winning. >> and they would all be thrilled. seth mcfarland, we saw he made a lot of jokes giving us a sneak peek what's in store. >> and the ricky gervais style of hosting may be back. >> and harvey weinstein. >> that was good and bad. >> below the belt. >> actress categories, jennifer lawrence, everybody is predicting this will be her year. she's been nominated before for "winter's bone." >> she's the youngest at 1822 to

have two best actress nominations in her career. i think it's between her and jessica chastain for "zero dark 30." but emmanuelle riva and wallis and helen mirren, throws this race wide open. >> people loved jennifer lawrence, she had a huge box office hit and proves hollywood loves winners. she's serious but not lindsey lohan, young but doesn't act like a fool around town and people love her seriousness. >> and "silver linings playbook" is the only one to have actor nominees in all four categories so obviously they've taken to that movie. >> very exciting and much more about the oscars in a moment. first, this is "today" on nbc.

back now with more on the academy award nominations,

thanks for sticking around, guys. we were talking about it before the break. and "the sessions," where they had to make choices about ac for and actress, clearly only one got the nod. >> hawkes was so great in that movie and in any other time he would have been nominated. and joaquin phoenix who had been shut out in other awards got in. >> some people didn't like it. it was difficult and hard to under. >> joaquin wallace talks about how he hates hollywood. >> they don't care. >> "lincoln" is difficult to watch and got a best director nomination. "argo" and "les miserables" both

got lots of nominations were not nominated in the directors category. that is kinds of a bad sign for their overall chances. very hard to win best picture without a director nomination. >> thank you so much. we're back in a moment. this is "today" on nbc. honey, don't use your sleeve.

vo: for cold and flu season, there's clorox bleach.

>> this is wbal-tv 11 news and a baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. charges are pending against a driver this morning who police say veered into a work zone on wednesday, hitting and killing two highway workers. luis tadeo and victor jackson were setting up cones on route

40 in perryville around 9:00 in the morning. both workers died at the scene but the driver was not hurt.

>> early this morning, a beautiful sunrise. we will see more clouds today as the storm system approaches. increasing clouds, but unseasonably mild. unseasonably mild. sunset

unseasonably mild. sunset mommy! i went potty! that's great, honey.... where? for life's bleachable moments.